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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27436537">Duel Violins</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/fragileKnight1/pseuds/fragileKnight1'>fragileKnight1</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Ghosts of Arcadia [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Life Is Strange (Video Game)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/F, Fluff and Angst, Friendship, Friendship/Love</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-07 01:35:45</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,589</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27436537</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/fragileKnight1/pseuds/fragileKnight1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Victoria comes to a crossroads in her life when Kate confesses her feeling to her and she realizes that she has no idea who she actually is. She has always been what others wanted her to be and did what she thought would make her popular. Now that she has a chance to have real friends and a real chance at love she panics.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Victoria Chase/Kate Marsh</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Ghosts of Arcadia [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2002027</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>15</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Victoria was getting ready to head out with Taylor and Courtney when she heard Kate playing her violin and found herself being drawn into the room. She didn’t want to disturb her friend but the song she was playing was heavy with sorrow and it seemed like the entire world got a little darker in response to it.</p><p>“Kate?” Victoria tried not to talk too loudly, “Is something wrong?”</p><p>“I just felt the need to play.” Kate sat her violin aside, “How are you doing?”</p><p>“No this time I think it is you who needs to explain.” Victoria sat down beside Kate on her bed and tried not to seem too stiff. She took a moment to imagine what Max would do and said, “Your song...no...Uh...Kate I know something is wrong because of how you are playing.”</p><p>Kate smiled and clapped to turn the lights back on, “That piece is one my grandfather wrote. I have to set the mood every time I play it.”</p><p>“Oh so you are okay then?” Victoria jumped up, “I guess...”</p><p>Kate took a hold of Victoria’s hand, “I told my parents something and I don’t think I should have because it made them really angry.” She looked at the phone that she had shut off, “I am hoping that they forgive me and learn that I can’t be anything less than what God made me.”</p><p>“What are you talking about?”</p><p>“You...I am talking about you.” Kate took a deep breath, “I am talking about these feelings that I get when I am around you. It is like a chill rushing up my arm and down my spine. It’s like I am choking on air because the words are so hard for me to say.”</p><p>“I am going to get my violin.” Victoria smiled, “I think we should play together.”</p><p>“You play violin?” Kate smiled and carefully took Victoria’s hands into hers, “I have never heard you play.”</p><p>“Never wanted to.” Victoria tried not to look at Kate. She felt like she was on fire and had no idea what to really do, “It’s been almost a year and a half to be honest since I last touch it so I might not be any good.”</p><p>“It might take time to relearn the movements, to get used to the feel, to understand the notes, but...” Kate kissed Victoria, “When you do figure it out it is like magic is surging from the instrument and into the world. It makes you want to be stronger, and braver. It makes you want to take chances that might not work out and might destroy everything around you, but might also help you break down the walls keeping you from living the life God meant for you to live.”</p><p>“Kate...”</p><p>Kate pulled Victoria into another kiss, “Do you still want to play with me?”</p><p>“I...” Victoria pulled away and shook her head, “I can't."</p><p>"Why not?" Kate grabbed Victoria's hand to keep her from leaving, "I am not going to let you leave until you tell me. Tell me why you hate yourself so much?"</p><p>"Because I deserve it! I deserve to be hated!" Victoria pulled away from Kate again, "I am sorry, but I am no good to anybody. You are better off finding someone who doesn't harass someone because they are unafraid and know who they are. Someone who doesn't film a girl who is in trouble because they think it is funny. No matter what I do that is who I will be."</p><p>"That isn't you. That was just the mask you wore to keep from being hurt." Kate smiled, "The real you is passionate, and kind. You can sense when a friend is in trouble without them needing to tell you."</p><p>"Kate..." Victoria stopped trying to run but couldn't bring herself to look at Kate, "I don't..."</p><p>"As an outcast I got to see the world in a way that no one else could and I saw you. I have seen you read poetry under the Tobanga, I have seen you pace with worry because a friend of yours was sick, I have seen you sitting in the parking lot crying because you thought that you had done something wrong."</p><p>"You are a great friend Victoria." Taylor stepped into the room, "You knew when I was worrying about my mom and you took the time to drive me all the way to Portland just so that I could be there for her surgery and you stayed by me the entire time so I wouldn't be alone."</p><p>"Taylor..."</p><p>"I am pissed that you think that you need to seperate me and Courtney from your other friends though." Taylor looked at Kate, "But I figure you thought we were so shallow that we would abandon you at the first sign of weakness?"</p><p>"Uh..."</p><p>"Well Courtney is and did just that." Taylor sighed, "She left with the others and told me to talk some sense into you. Which I am doing by telling you to listen to Kate."</p><p>"Taylor." Kate smiled, "Do you see what you are now, Victoria? Do you see how special you are?"</p><p>Victoria hugged Kate and said, "I am so sorry for everything I have done to you."</p><p>"It is okay." Kate gave Victoria a kiss on the cheek, "I have already forgiven you."</p><p>"I still need time to forgive myself." Victoria pressed her forehead against Kate's, "If you still want me to play the violin with you I will."</p><p>"I am going to go back to my room and work on my designs." Taylor walked over and hugged Victoria so that she could whisper into her ear, "Have fun."</p><p>Victoria blushed as Taylor walked away and took hold of Kate's hand, "What do we do now that I ruined the night?"</p><p>"You didn't ruin anything." Kate smiled softly, "Now what is something you would like to do?"</p><p>Victoria nodded and led Kate back to her room where they snuggled up on her couch to watch a movie. She let Kate choose and they ended up watching Milo and Otis which was almost too cutesy for Victoria but as the movie played Kate grew more comfortable and pulled herself closer to Victoria until she was almost on Victoria’s lap.</p><p>Victoria carefully wrapped her arm around Kate causing her to hum softly and she realized that Kate had fallen asleep. She didn't want to disturb so she did her best to adjust how she was sitting on the couch so that she could use the arm of the couch as a pillow and tried her best how uncomfortable it was as she tried to fall asleep as well.</p><p>The next morning Victoria woke to find Kate was gone and her joints were screaming at her for the way she had decided to sleep, but she felt good. She felt free. The weight on her heart was gone and for the first time she truly saw herself in the mirror and saw her room.</p><p>It was cold and sterile compared to Kate's. The only personal item was the photo of her, Courtney, and Taylor by her computer and even that was staged. She closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths before starting to throw shit out the window. </p><p>Books she bought just because they were popular, the books written by Jefferson, and the books that her mother sent her, and then she started on her clothes. Her armor against the world. Her symbols of superiority. She fucking hated herself for wasting so much on so little. </p><p>When she was done her walls were blank, her closet was empty, and all she had was the violin she had told Kate about and her camera equipment. Two final lies that she wasn’t sure what to do with. The violin had been a gift from her grandmother and with it came memories of playing for hours while tutors yelled at her for not being able to hit the proper notes. She learned to play it perfectly just as they demanded and she wondered if she shouldn’t just smash it, but another part of her wanted to play it in the hopes that Kate could help her bury those old memories.</p><p>The camera was something that she had taken up herself to emulate her mother. She had hoped that it could be something they did together but her mother just saw it as another reason to belittle her. It came with critiques and criticism and a drawer full of rejection letters from galleries who said that her pictures were not what they were looking for. </p><p>“Victoria?” </p><p>Victoria jolted back to reality and turned to Taylor who was holding a box of clothes, “I left the books but I gathered these up for you. I couldn’t save all of the stuff though. There were a few other students trying to get the stuff as well.”</p><p>“You can have them.” Victoria smiled and sat down on the bed, “I don’t need them.”</p><p>Taylor looked at the empty closet and the empty drawers pulled out of the dresser, “You can’t just keep wearing what you have on. I think I understand what you are trying to do, but you may have gone a little too far.”</p><p>Victoria looked around the room once more and laughed a little when she realized Taylor was right, “I had to do something. This room was haunted by a girl with a cracking mask.”</p><p>“Well you can’t fight ghosts naked.” Taylor smiled and put the box down, “And these clothes never did you any harm.”</p><p>“Except for probably being made by slaves in third world countries.” Victoria sighed, “This makes me want to go shopping.”</p><p>“Well shopping does always help and I can show you how to shop like a normal person.” Taylor nodded, “We’ll have to drive to Hamilton to their Hubert’s though. Can you handle shopping at a regular clothing store?”</p><p>“I might need Kate to come with us.” Victoria smiled, “Have you seen her?”</p><p>“She is outside drawing with Samuel.” Taylor nodded, “I can’t believe that you are going to bring me into your actual friend circle.”</p><p>“Well you are one of my friends.” Victoria stood, “I can at least tell that now. Thanks, Taylor.”</p><p>“No problem.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Victoria was working on editing some landscape shots for Kate when someone knocked on her door and she quickly pulled on the first shirt she saw which was a knockoff Ghibli featuring a chibi cyborg girl and a toothy blue demon with blood oozing out his mouth before answering. She expected to see Kate, Taylor, or Juliet but to her horror it was her mom.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Harriet was about to hug Victoria until she saw what Victoria was wearing and said, "What is that?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"A shirt for a show I like called Hellstorm Jupiter." Victoria smiled, "The main character is a former soldier trapped in the service of the One Earth Collective. You see they are this fascist government designed to echo the American government and..."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"And I don't care." Harriet walked into the room and dug through the dresser before pulling stuff out of the closet, "Where are all of your clothes? What is all of this garbage?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"These are clothes. Clothes that I don't feel suffocated in when I wear them." Victoria fidgeted, "Why are you even here?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Your father has come down to see if this school is worth investing in." Harriet looked around at the shelves of anime figures and posters. "And it is obviously a good thing that I took time out of my busy schedule to check in on you. You are obviously either having a nervous breakdown or doing drugs."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"You are the reason I needed drugs."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Harriet crossed her arms and said, "What was that?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Victoria froze and smiled when she saw Kate walk into the room. She ran over and hugged Kate before saying, "Oh thank God you are here. Kate, this is my mom. Mom, this is my girlfriend Kate."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh I get it now. You are rebelling against me like I rebelled against my mother in college." Harriet shook her head, "Honey if you are going to fake being gay you should at least pick someone who isn't so plain looking. Why not trade this one out for that Courtney girl you hang out with? She is at least a little exotic thanks to her mother."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Victoria looked down and smiled when Kate squeezed her hand. She took a deep breath and said, "I am not faking."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Harriet looked to Victoria and said, "What?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I AM NOT FAKING!" Victoria yelled again, "I AM NOT FAKING! The only person here who is faking is you! You are a fake photographer whose work is so awful you had to open your own gallery to have them displayed. You are a fake wife who has more men on the side than you have fingers and toes. And you are a fake mother who relied on tutors and nannies to raise the trophy daughter you didn't even want."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Harriet sneered at Victoria and said, "Apologize or I will cancel your credit cards and shut down your bank account."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Go ahead." Victoria felt a swell of confidence inside her, "I don't need your dirty money."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Harriet tore Victoria away from Kate and tried to drag her out of the room but Victoria grabbed the door and shoved Harriet away causing her to slam into the wall. Kate grabbed Victoria again as Harriet charged and slammed the door into her face.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Harriet banged on the door for a few minutes while yelling Victoria's name before finally stomping away. All the while Victoria held onto Kate and they moved over to the bed where they sat in silence for a long time.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Kate rubbed Victoria's hand and kissed the back of it before saying, "How are you feeling?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I honestly don't feel anything yet." Victoria turned to Kate, "I am so glad that you came when you did."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I came by to ask you something." Kate took a deep breath, "But after that I don't know if I should."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"What is wrong?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"You know that I have stopped talking to my parents right?" Kate sighed, "I shut down my Facebook page, and let you get me that new phone...My dad went old school and sent me a letter. He wants me to come home next week for Thanksgiving. He wants to meet you."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"That is good right?" Victoria smiled nervously, "He might want to make amends."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"So you will come?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"You gave me strength so it is only fair I return the favor." Victoria pressed her forehead against Kate's, "Plus I want to meet your sisters. They sound like absolute angels when you describe them."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Lynn and April will love you. April even has a few figurines like these ones in her room." Kate smiled, "And if it goes wrong we can go see how Max and Chloe are doing at their new house."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Did you get that picture Max sent of Chloe covered in paint?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"It was a very lovely shade of pumpkin." Kate laughed, "I love you."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Not as much as I love you." Victoria pulled Kate closer, "Can you stay? I am afraid of what might happen when the truth finally hits me. Right now I am happy that I stood up to her but in ten minutes I don't know how I might feel."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"As if I would ever leave your side tonight."</span>
</p>
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